Building panel

Abstract

A building panel having inner and outer faces outlined by opposite ends and an upper and lower edges has opposite ends adapted to closely face the end of an adjacent panel in the same course. The outer face of the panel includes a lower segment of substantially greater surface area adapted for exposure and an upper portion of relatively smaller surface area adapted to underlie a lower portion of one or more panels in a next higher course laid in overlapping relation therewith. One of the ends of said panel includes an overlap end segment adapted to overlie an underlying end segment at the other end of an adjacent panel laid up end to end in the same course to form a ship lap end joint between the panels. The overlap end segment includes a marginal end portion of the outer face with an underside therebelow formed to slope from a minimum panel thickness adjacent the upper edge toward a maximum panel thickness adjacent the lower edge. The panel includes an underlying end segment at the other end containing a marginal end portion of the inner face with an outer side adapted to underlie a sloping underside of an adjacent panel and formed to slope from a maximum panel thickness adjacent the upper edge toward a minimum panel thickness adjacent the lower edge.

What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 
     
       1. A building panel formed of a single piece of fibrous wood material pressed to a substantially uniform thickness overall between generally parallel and opposite, inner and outer faces outlined by opposite ends and by upper and lower edges, said opposite ends of said panel adapted to closely face the end of an adjacent panel in the same course, said outer face having a relatively large lower segment with a surface adapted for exposure and an area substantially larger than a long, narrow upper edge segment having a relatively smaller flat surface area adapted to underlie a lower inner face portion of one or more panels in a next higher course laid in overlapping relation therewith, said lower segment having an embossed irregular surface area formed to resemble a plurality of individual shingle-like elements laid side by side in a common course and separated by tapered grooves, said grooves tapering from a minimum depth adjacent an upper edge of said lower segment toward a maximum depth adjacent a lower edge of said panel for providing the appearance of a course of tapered, thick butt shakes or shingles, one of said ends of said panel including an overlap end segment adapted to overlie an underlying end segment at the other end of an adajcent panel laid up end to end in the same course to form a ship lap end joint between said panels, said overlap end segment at said one end containing a marginal end portion of said outer face with an underside therebelow formed to taper in a direction generally similar to the taper of said grooves from a minimum thickness adjacent said upper edge toward a maximum thickness adjacent said lower edge, said panel including an underlying end segment at the other end containing a marginal end portion of said inner face with an outer side adapted to underlie said tapered underside of an adjacent panel and formed to taper in a direction generally similar to the taper of said grooves from a maximum thickness adjacent said upper edge toward a minimum thickness adjacent said lower edge, whereby a plurality of said panels laid end to end in a common course with the overlap end segment of one panel overlapping an underlying end segment of an adjacent panel providing a tapered joint groove between the adjacent ends of said panels similar in appearance to said tapered grooves between adjacent shingle-like elements within each of said panels. 
     
     
       2. The building panel of claim 1 wherein said overlap end segment includes spaced apart inner and outer ends normal to and intersecting said underside, said underlying end segment including inner and outer ends normal to and intersecting said outer side. 
     
     
       3. The building panel of claim 1 wherein said tapered grooves are open at the lower end on said lower edge of said panel. 
     
     
       4. The building panel of claim 1 wherein said panel is dimensioned to have a thickness at the lower end of said grooves which is similar to the panel thickness of said underlying end segment adjacent the lower edge of said panel. 
     
     
       5. The building panel of claim 1 wherein said tapered grooves have upper ends terminating at or below said upper segment of relatively smaller surface area of said outer face. 
     
     
       6. The building panel of claim 5 wherein said tapered grooves break out onto said outer face of said panels at or below said upper segment of relatively smaller surface area. 
     
     
       7. The building panel of claim 1 wherein said underside of said overlapping end segment and said outer side of said underlying segment are substantially flat and extend between said upper and lower edges of said panel. 
     
     
       8. The building panel of claim 1 wherein the thickness of said panels is less than said substantially uniform thickness overall at said tapered grooves and at said end segments. 
     
     
       9. The building panel of claim 1 including a course offset guide mark along said upper edge spaced a selected distance from one of said end segments on said upper segment of relatively smaller surface area of said outer face.